Working Strategies: Brush up on telephone skills when in job search mode

I was giving a job seeker tips for handling phone interviews last week when it occurred to me that some of my standard advice is rapidly losing validity as we complete our transition to mobile phones.

For example, there's more than a preference for the old-fashioned at play when I tell people to use a landline for interviews whenever possible. It's a recognition that the landline is almost always better for consistent reception.

Not to mention that a job seeker using a landline will be less tempted to take the call under poor circumstances, including in a car, at a coffee shop or outside at a park. Yes, I've heard all of these situations described, and they don't always end well for the candidate.

Similarly, I'm surprised at how many people think using the phone's speaker function is a good idea. Well, frequently, it's not. Between the extra noises and the echo effect it delivers, things can go bad fast. Microphone headsets are nearly always a better idea for hands-free calls, but they aren't always easy to find for today's phones -- unless you count the truly frightening Bluetooth, which I superstitiously won't touch since a dear friend's death from brain cancer.

I could go on about ideal phone logistics but maybe that ship has sailed. The real question now is why more people don't seem to care that the quality of phone communication is degrading. I guess what I'm really pondering is whether the actual art of making and receiving phone calls is starting to slip through our fingers.

Since phones still are an integral part of every job seeker's life, I think it's a good idea to refresh ourselves on the basics of telephonic communication. The following tips are not sequenced in order of importance but rather in the order of my dismay when they are not followed.

1. Set up your voicemail. I'm not sure if people forget to do this, or if they think it doesn't matter. But when I call a job seeker and reach the mechanical robot commanding me to "Please leave a message," I can't believe it. Besides leaving me to wonder if I've reached the right number, this job seeker is missing an easy opportunity to impress potential employers with a professional and friendly human voice.

2. Let the caller leave the message. If you miss the call, wait at least a minute, then check to see if a message has been left. I'll admit to a generational bias on this, as my younger clients tell me it seems rude to delay calling back while they go through these steps. But for the caller, it's a tad off-putting to leave a detailed message on voicemail only to have the recipient beep on the other line to ask, "Did you call?"

3. Listen to the message. It may not matter with friends and family, but returning an employer's call without listening to the message puts you at a disadvantage.

4. Answer with your name and a warm greeting, at least if you're in a job search. I know you feel like a goof when a friend hears you formally announce, "Hello, this is Michael." But better that than having potential employers greeted with a monosyllabic "lo?"

5. Test your equipment. Maybe your speaker phone is exceptional. But what if it isn't? You'll need a friend on the other end of the line for this, so choose someone who will take you seriously when you ask, "Can you hear me now?"

6. Improve your diction. This is hard for everyone in our ultra-casual and multi-cultural society. We forget to speak clearly and slowly to ensure the other person can grasp everything we're saying. That's why it's such a good idea: Not only will your conversations actually be comprehensible, but you'll stand out as well.

7. Show your warmth. Another difficult edict, particularly in a phone interview. And yet, you know it's essential to come across as likeable and genuine if you're going to be invited to the next level. Tips range from smiling while you talk to standing up to give yourself more energy.

8. Organize your thoughts in advance of the call. Of course, this is easy to do if you're the caller. Just identify your reason for calling and jot a quick sentence of introduction. Receiving calls has a built-in element of surprise, but you can still prepare by keeping a small notebook during your job search with key phrases to help you answer calls gracefully and professionally.

And if all that fails? Well, there's always texting ... Oh, don't get me started!